


Seizing The Empire

by MightyMidget



Series: The Cobblepot Family Dynasty [3]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Crime Family, Dysfunctional Family, Fish Is Awesome!, Graphic Violence, Killing The 'Queen', M/M, Major Character Death BUT NOT THE FAMILY SO CHILL!, Oral Sex, Revenge killing, Sassy Oswald Cobblepot, Taking Over Gotham
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2019-01-01 02:42:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12146886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightyMidget/pseuds/MightyMidget
Summary: Its time to deal with the family business, and make a move on Gotham's underworld. The family have their first meeting, and Oswald manages to make it through without sassing Edward...too much!





	Seizing The Empire

Oswald stood in front of the full length mirror with a scowl on his face, arms crossed over his chest as he eyed his temporary outfit with distaste. He could list many things about Edward Nygma that were wonderful...but his fashion sense was not one of them!

 

After Fish and the rest of the family had left, they had celebrated the blessing of their new relationship with another quick fumble under the sheets, but now it was almost time to leave. They had a limited amount of time left to make it to the mansion - it would not do to be late, especially with Fish expecting them - but they had run into a little snag after they had managed to disentangle themselves long enough to get out of bed; Oswald had no clothes.

 

At first Ed had only grinned, the prospect of keeping his little bird naked at all times seeming far too appealing to turn down, but a swift smack to the back of his head told him exactly what Oswald thought of  _ that  _ plan, and he set to work rummaging through his wardrobe in the hopes of finding something that would tide Os over until they got back home. It was a harder job than it should have been, what with Ed's much larger frame and the Penguin standing over his shoulder shooting down every single item with an infuriatingly sarcastic tone.

 

Finally,  _ finally _ , Ed had found a shirt, a pair of pants, and a sweater, practically throwing them at Oswald's head when it looked like the smaller man was about to object and pointing out that unless he wanted to 1. Don his still soaking wet Court jumpsuit for the trip home, or 2. Go bare assed naked through the streets of Gotham - a thought that Edward was seriously considering just to torment the snooty little bastard - then these were his only options. Oswald looked pissy at the thought, but eventually agreed and put on the damn clothes.

 

That was when things got bad.

 

Edward had never been good at hiding his laughter, it was something which had always gotten him into trouble in the past. When something struck him as funny, he could breathe deep, bite his lip, and think of all the horrible thoughts possible, but nothing would keep the giggles at bay, and right now...well...

 

"This is utterly ridiculous! I can not go out there looking like this!" Oswald huffed, catching Ed's eye in the reflection of the mirror, looking for sympathy...but his eyes darkened when he caught sight of Edward’s expression. "Are...Are you seriously finding this funny?!" The little man barked, and Edward felt the last of his control slipping away.

 

"Nno...of course not!" Ed gasped, biting his lip hard but to no avail. Oswald spun around to face him, intent on giving his boyfriend a good tongue lashing no doubt, but the far too long sleeves of his sweater whipped about him as he turned and one swept up over his front, whacking him in the face and leaving a stunned look in its wake.

 

That did it.

 

Edward felt his body rolling forward as the air rushed out of his lungs in a long drawn out gasp, eyes filling with tears as laughter wracked his body. He felt his knees hit the floor, and he had to throw his arms out to catch himself before he went any further. Oswald made an indignant noise from somewhere above him, but the image of the huge sweater dwarfing him rose up once again and Ed couldn't bring himself to stop giggling. If anyone else saw this, the former mayor, the King of Gotham, infamous Penguin...

 

"Edward this is NOT FUNNY!" Oswald yelled, face a furious red as he stalked towards his idiot partner. "Are you even listening to me! Stop laughing!" His rage came out as more of a whine than a threat and Ed keeled over on his side, clutching his aching ribs.

 

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry but...it's just...oh god, you have no idea how cute you look right now!" Ed gasped, finally managing to get himself a little of his control back and almost losing it again when he looked up at Oswald from the floor. The gangster was fuming, but the effect was somewhat muted by the outfit and the high blush on his cheeks. A devious look suddenly crossed Oswald's face and he grinned a little through his anger.

 

"Ed...I know this relationship is new, but don't think for one moment I won't deny you sex if you continue to piss me off!" Oswald said smugly, and Ed's face fell at the thought.

 

"...You wouldn't..." Ed replied, but the question sounded so much like a plea that Oswald knew he had won.

 

"Oh I would, I will put you 'in the doghouse' as the kids say, and don't think I won't! This is a very serious situation, and you are laughing at me!" Oswald snapped, the little stamp of his foot almost setting Ed off again but that all too familiar voice in his head talked him down - if he laughed again Oswald would stop all of their carnal activities, and neither Ed wanted that to happen, they'd just got sex and weren't about to give it up easily. Ed grinned sheepishly and pulled himself to his knees, snuffling forward until he was knelt before Oswald and could wrap his arms around the man's waist.

 

"I apologise, Mr. Penguin. I didn't mean to be bad...Let me make it up to you...please." Ed begged, pulling his lip between his teeth and peering up at Oswald over the rim of his glasses. He watched with glee as the gangsters eyes widened, a faint gasp slipping past his lips, then Ed dropped his eyes and leant forward, pressing a gentle kiss against Oswald's crotch and smirking when he felt the faint stirring of the cock underneath. "I'll do  _ anything _ to make it up to you, Sir." His fingers trailed up Os' thighs to the hem of his pants, hooking just under the edge. When Oswald didn't make a move to stop him, he yanked them down to mid-thigh, just enough to expose his now fully hard erection...and oh my it was a gorgeous sight. Ed licked his lips and hummed approvingly before kneeling up and wrapping his lips around the head, moaning at the first taste. Oswald gasped and threw his head back, hips bucking forward slightly when Ed hollowed his cheeks and bobbed down his cock once before pulling back again, tongue swirling around the crown to lap up every sweet drop of precum there. Somewhere in his head the Penguin raged that this was blatant physical blackmail and that Ed was deliberately using sex to manipulate him...but when he looked down to confront the man and saw his cock disappearing slowly into his mouth, and felt the tip slip easily into Ed's throat, muscle spasming at the intrusion and only heightening the pleasure, all thoughts of right or wrong exploded into nothingness. Let Ed have what he wanted, give him houses and money and Gotham itself. He could take this city and burn it to the ground for all Oswald cared at this moment, he could have the world on a plate...just as long as he never stopped pleasuring him this way.

 

It didn't last long, Oswald was doomed from the start. Ed made quick work of him, expertly using his tongue, lips and hands to bring his little Penguin to a screaming climax, and when it was done he caught the smaller man as his knees gave way, bringing him down softly and calming his shakes with gentle kisses.

 

"So...what was it you were angry about?" Ed asked, his cheeky grin completely lost on the lovestruck man in his arms. Oswald thought for a moment - it looked like hard work - then shrugged with a giggle.

 

"I...have absolutely no idea!" He sighed, shaking his head and trying to look menacing again when Edward laughed at his plight. "You are a devious little devil, Edward Nygma." He said, trying to sound firm but failing miserably.

 

"Yes, but you do so love my devilish side. Now!" Ed stood, pulling Oswald to his feet and wrapping him up in his arms. "We really need to get going, otherwise we're going to be late." He smiled and pecked Os on the cheek before pulling away and scanning the room for his shoes. Oswald huffed behind him and took one last look in the mirror, a distressed whine escaping his throat.

 

"But Edwarrrd..." Ed sighed and looked over at him with a stern expression.

 

"Fine, stay here and hide. I'll return after the meeting with some proper clothes for you..." Ed grinned as he pulled open the door and stepped outside, leaving a stunned Oswald staring after him. "But don't blame me when I tell Fish that your outfit was more important than her meeting." He called back, counting slowly to five and laughing when he heard Oswald squeak and run after him.

 

"Edward, you wouldn't dare you little snitch!"

  
  


\----------

 

The taxi ride to the mansion was the journey from hell; between the insanely cramped Gotham City traffic and a driver who just would not shut up, the pair were about ready to pull their hair out by the time they arrived. Ed was just glad he had lifted his emergency cash box before he left, otherwise they'd have a dead body to deal with on top of everything else. Oswald was  _ still _ fussing over his attire as they made their way up the front steps, and before Ed could even think to scold him, the door was flung open and the shorter man was blown over by a swift green and red squealing blur.

 

"PENGY!" It cried out as it leapt, and Edward was close to drawing his gun when the pair hit the ground and he finally recognised the form for what it was...the young girl whom Fish had said came to her for help finding Oswald.

 

"Ivy?! What is the meaning of this?! Get off me!" Oswald spat, but his words were at odds with his actions as he brought his arms around the girl’s waist and pulled her tightly against him.

 

"I was so worried, Pengy! You disappeared, I thought you were dead!" Ed saw she was close to crying, and for a moment he almost felt sorry for her...until her face darkened and she raised her hand up, bring it down sharply on Oswald's arm.

 

"OW! What was  _ that _ for?!" Oswald yelled, trying and failing to ward off her blows as the continued to reign down on him from the snarling girl.

 

"Don't! You! Ever! Do! That! Again!" She barked, punctuating each word with another blow, and Ed finally found his bearings again, darting down and grabbing the girl around the middle to pull her off of his yelping boyfriend. It wasn't an easy job, the girl was far stronger than she looked and turned on him when he tried to interfere. "Let go of me! I'm gonna kick his ass! Then yours!" Ed ignored her flailing as best he could and dragged her bodily through the door of the mansion, toppling to the floor in the centre of the hallway with a painful thump as she continued to fight him tooth and nail. From somewhere over her shoulder he could see Oswald struggling to his feet, and he felt a moments relief...surely Oswald would come to his rescue...right...

 

"Oswald! Help me, I can't hold her!" Ed yelled out when Oswald just stood there, staring at them with growing amusement in his eyes.

 

"...No, thank you. I think you have this one covered!" Oswald replied, never losing his grin even as Edward glared at him darkly.

 

"OSWALD! I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T GET OVER HERE AND HELP ME I'LL..."

 

"Ivy, get off that poor boy before you break something!" All three of them whipped around to see Fish standing in the doorway, looking both amused and done with their behaviour. Ivy huffed but obeyed, rolling off Edward and taking her place beside Fish with a glare at the pair of them. Ed pulled himself to his feet, straightening his clothes. This was not the way he had wanted to enter into a meeting with some of the best criminals in all of Gotham, but surprisingly Fish seemed completely undisturbed by the events. With one final warning look at Ivy, who seemed ready to pounce again at any moment, she strode forward and reached out her hand for Edward. "Mr. Nygma, nice of you to finally join us..." Ed took her hand and shook it, dipping his head respectfully.

 

"I apologise for the delay, Mis...Fish..." Ed's eyes flicked to Oswald's and he grinned before looking back at Fish. "Oswald pitched a fit over his clothes and I had to deal with him before we left." Os made an indignant noise and opened his mouth to object but Fish only nodded in understanding and spoke over the top of him.

 

"Yes, he is a bit of a drama queen at times, isn't he? You sure you can handle him, he's very high maintenance?" Fish asked and Edward grinned at her, eyes alight with playful humor.

 

"Oh I think I have him well in hand, but thank you for your concern." Ed replied, turning to face a spluttering, red faced Oswald.

 

"I am RIGHT HERE, you know?! And I am NOT a drama queen!" Oswald barked, crossing his arms over his chest and trying to look deadly, but Fish caught his eye and raised one perfectly styled eyebrow at him.

 

"Boy, what on earth are you wearing?" She asked, watching with delight as Oswald fumed, gearing up for a major tantrum. Edward recognised all the warning signs - narrowed eyes, crossed arms, red face, normally bright eyes darkening dramatically - and he acted swiftly without thinking. He sighed and made his way over to Oswald, reaching out slowly to place a hand on his shoulder. It was a good sign when Oswald didn't immediately throw him off, and he took another tentative step forward, pulling the shorter man up against him and leaning in to press a soft kiss against his lips.

 

"Have I told you how much I love seeing you wearing  _ my _ clothes?" Ed whispered against his lips, making sure Oswald was pulled tight enough against him that he could feel Ed's growing interest. Os felt his face flush redder, eyes darting over Ed's shoulder to where Ivy and Fish stood watching them, neither seemingly bothered by their little public display. The little gangster gulped and looked back at his playful partner, a small grin tugging at his lips.

 

"That's awfully possessive of you, isn't it? I didn't take you for the neanderthal type, my love." Oswald answered, slipping his arms up and over Ed's shoulders and holding him tight against him. Ed leant down and buried his face in the juncture of Oswald's neck, kissing and nipping up the exposed flesh until he was hovering under his ear.

 

"Mine!" Ed growled softly, relishing the whimper he drew from Oswald even as he pulled away, leaving Os looking flushed and dazed after only a few kisses. "How about you head upstairs and find something nice to wear, I'm sure Ivy would love to assist you. You two clearly have some catching up to do." Ed looked over his shoulder at Ivy, who shrugged, clearly not wanting to appear too enthusiastic but Ed could tell from the gleam in her eyes that she was grateful to be getting some alone time with Oswald. Had Ed been any other man he may have been jealous, but something about this girl gave him a similar feeling to the one he got from Isabella down in the Courts tunnels, although the feeling did not leave him cold all over in the same way. It was the feeling he was coming to associate with any of Strange's creatures. Besides all of that, he trusted Oswald, and even if Ivy was interested he knew Oswald would never betray him like that. They loved each other.

 

Oswald seemed to finally pull himself together and he smiled, a little dopey around the eyes still but mostly his old self, and when Ivy came over he took her by the arm and lead her up the stairs, careful not to trip over his too long pants in the process. Ed watched them go with a smile of his own, feeling happier than he had done in a long time, and he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear Fish approaching him from behind until she had her hand on his arm.

 

"That...was expertly done, Mr. Nygma. What's your secret?" She said with a glint in her eye that made Edward smile.

 

"A gentleman never tells." He answered, making her laugh.

 

"Oh I can see Oswald isn't the only one to watch out for...There is nothing as dangerous as a charming man. Now, why don't you and I get a drink while we wait for Oswald to finish putting on his make up."

 

"I would like that very much, Fish. May I escort you to the parlour?" He asked, holding out his arm for her to take, and giggling when she batted his arm away and strode ahead of him.

 

"Don't push you luck, Mr. Nygma." She called back but there was no real heat in it, and Edward reflected for a moment at the oddness of the situation. Not so long ago he had been a nerdy little nobody, working for the GCPD and completely unappreciated and now...he was taking drinks at the Van Dahl mansion with Fish Mooney while Oswald Cobblepot,  _ his boyfriend _ , got ready for a meeting about taking back control of Gotham. This was so completely surreal that he had to pinch himself to make sure he was awake, and for just a moment the hint of his other self made itself known.

 

_ "Hey don't look at me, I'm just as confused as you are...And that's saying something, coming from a hallucination!" _ Ed chuckled and followed Fish into the parlour, deciding not to look a gift Penguin in the mouth.

  
  


\----------

  
  


"So like, you and green boy are an item now?" Ivy asked from her seat on the bed, not looking up from the treasure trove of expensive cosmetics that Oswald had heaved out from the back of his wardrobe with a pleased glint in his eye. He hadn't ever really shared his make up box with anyone else before, though it was common knowledge that he enjoyed wearing it - no one could miss his penchant for eyeliner, but so far very few people had been brave enough to comment on it. Even in the early days when Oswald was just Fish's umbrella boy, the general consensus was that if Fish wasn't mentioning it, no one else was either. Now though, things were different. It was clear to Oswald that Fish was willing to share power with him for the first time, a fact that was actually more terrifying than the thought of fighting her for control, and that meant he could do whatever he damn well pleased. Also, for some inexplicable reason, he had found himself with the equivalent of an adopted daughter, and it was his duty to teach the girl all he knew about the finer points of preeing. He took a moment before answering, fingers dancing lightly over several different eyeliners before choosing the perfect one.

 

"Edward and I are now dating, if that's what you mean..." He answered, trying to keep his voice even and nonchalant despite the swelling happiness in his heart. Her eyes met his briefly, a cold calculating look which gave him chills and made him proud all at once - this girl would be a force to be reckoned with, he was sure - then her face split into a grin and she reached forward to shove him playfully.

 

"Pengy, you dog!" She laughed when he blushed, looking away shyly. He wondered briefly if this was what it was like to have a friend...having never had any real friends growing up it was hard for him to judge, and he could only assume that male and female friends would have significant differences. Edward had been his first real friend, but theirs was a friendship built on an adult foundation - speaking of, he really needed to introduce Ivy to a proper concealer, if he could only find it! - whereas Ivy was still a teenager, and her infectious enthusiasm was rubbing off on him already. He felt ten years younger just sitting in her presence. "So tell me...was he good?"

 

"Ivy!" Oswald squeaked, spluttering when she grinned without the slightest hint of sorror or regret at her words or their effect on him. "I am not...that's not even...I..."

 

"I get it, I do...He was indescribable, you don't need to tell me." She joked, taking pleasure in his embarrassed babbling. Oswald sat there with his mouth hanging open, wishing he could feel something other than amusement at her teasing. Had she been anyone else he might have taken her taunts seriously, but he couldn't do anything except sit there in stunned silence. "Wow, he must be good. He's got you speechless!" Oswald made a noise, somewhere between a squeak and a tut, and went back to picking out just the right shade of nail polish. It was several minutes before they spoke again.

 

"He was wonderful..." Oswald whispered, hoping that would be the end of it. Boy was he wrong! Ivy cocked her head to the side and made a long 'awww' sound which only set his blushing off worse than ever. "Shut up!" He yelled but she leapt back as he reached out to swat at her, giggling madly.

 

"Aw, Pengy! You're in love!" She laughed, ducking down and squeaking when he lifted a pillow from the bed and whacked her with it. "Admit it! You love him! You got it bad for the beanpole!"

 

"Yes, okay, now would you  _ please _ lower your voice! My god, you sound like a strangled cat when you squeal!" He yelled, failing to sound threatening and laughing instead when she peered up at him from bed. Oswald found that he couldn't peal the smile off his face, and he went back to painting his nails with only the occasional happy sigh which she didn't fail to notice.

 

"Sooo, tell me...who tops?"

 

"IVY!"

 

"Hey, I'm just curious!" She said with a shrug of her shoulders, picking out a bright shade of green for her own fingers which Oswald thought would suit her very well indeed. He took the bottle from her and indicated for her to hold out her hand, which he took to steady it while he carefully painted her nails.

 

"We...we haven't actually done... _ that _ ...not yet." He confessed, eyes focused solely on her nails as he leant forward to blow gently on her fingertips, which were now perfectly painted. There was no way he was letting such nice work go to waste, so he kept a hold of her hand while the polish dried.

 

"But I thought, like, last night you guys must've...you know?" She asked and Oswald rolled his eyes. He really must look into getting this girl a tutor, he use of the English language could use some improvement.

 

"Yes well we, I, we were merely..." Perhaps he should think of getting himself a tutor while he was at it, because right now he didn't seem capable of stringing a single coherent sentence together. Thinking of last nights activities made his stomach flutter, and the thought of what else they might share made him breathless. That Ed might be the one to take him, to share that kind of intimacy with him...it was beyond wonderful.

 

"Oh so like, you two just..." He looked up in time to see her making a rather rude gesture, poking her tongue into her cheek and wiggling her eyebrows at him. He squawked and almost pushed her off the bed, whining her name unbelievingly.

 

"Young lady, where did you learn that gesture?!" He snapped, vowing to kill the person who had taught her such vulgar signals. She just shrugged and rolled her eyes.

 

"Chill out, Pengy, Cat told me all about it years ago..." She wrinkled her nose in displeasure at the memory. "Totes gross, by the way, I'd never let some dude do  _ that _ to me. Eurck!" He chuckled, ruffled feathers soothed for the moment, and went back to their make-up. At least for now there was no chance of him having to deal with unwanted attention around the girl, although he suspected she would be able to handle them on her own.  _ Heaven help them _ .

 

"So you don't like any boys then?" He asked, finally deeming them both properly painted and getting up to make his way to the dresser. Once his hair was fixed he would feel like his old self again. The suit was already in place, only a few wrinkles which would smooth out easily once he was done fixing the wild tangle which was pretending to be his hair. Unnoticed by him, Ivy pulled another face.

 

"Ew, no thanks! I think I'll leave the boys to you and giant nerd downstairs." Oswald caught sight of her in the reflection, an admonishment on his lips that died when he saw the way she was picking hesitantly at the covers on the bed, lip drawn between her teeth. She seemed to be deep in thought and Oswald had a sudden startling thought. He made a fuss of running his fingers through his locks, straightening, but really he was weighing his words before he spoke.

 

"...girls?" He asked, a surge of pride rising in him when he saw her head snap up to look at him. She floundered for a moment, unsure of her own thoughts, but he continued to speak, already guessing at the problem with which she was struggling. "Ah, you're unsure?" She looked away again and nodded. Oswald was a little stunned at her sudden silence, and although he knew very little of what it was like to be a teenage girl, he felt he should try and get her to talk about this. His mother had always been fond of saying 'A problem shared is a problem halved.' and he had taken those words to heart. "I understand if you are uncomfortable talking about this, especially with an older man..."

 

"You're not  _ that _ old, Pengy." She said, a little of her usual spark coming back to her which made him smile.

 

"No, maybe not, but my mother always said I had an old soul." He replied, chuckling when she screwed up her face.

 

"What the hell does that mean?" She asked, making him frown.

 

"Language, young lady!" She huffed, rolling her eyes in an almost perfect imitation of his own 'bitch face', as Fish so often called it.

 

"Fine, 'scuse me! What the  _ by golly _ does that mean?" She repeated, crossing her arms over her chest.

 

"Honestly...I have no idea! But my point is..." He rushed on, hoping to divert her before she started babbling. "I am older than you, and I'm a boy, and I know it can be hard to trust people with your problems...but I am willing to listen if you need to talk. I do have  _ some _ experience with what you are going through." He finished up, getting the knot in his tie perfect and turning to face her with a little flourish. "How do I look?" She shook her head with a fond look and got off the bed, turning in her own circle to show off.

 

"Not as good as me, but hey, least you tried!" She laughed, sticking her tongue out at him when he glowered at her. "Oh lighten up, we got a strategy meeting to get to...taking the city back, storming the castle...ringing any bells? We should really get down there before Fish comes for us. That women is downright scary when she wants to be." Ivy said with a shudder which was echoed by Oswald, and if he neglected to mention that she had completely bypassed his offer to talk, he was gentleman enough not to point it out. At least now she knew she could come to him if she needed.

 

"Yes, you are correct in that, we really must be going. I shudder to think what she would do if she found us playing dress up while she was rallying the troops." He made his way over to her and reached out to brush a strand of her beautiful red hair away from her face. "Are you ready for this?" He asked and she grinned, patting him on the shoulder.

 

"I was born ready." He smiled and turned to head for the door but she ambushed him before he could move, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. The move shocked the air out of him, and for a moment he just stood there, stiff as a board with his arms locked to his side. Finally, very slowly, unsure of exactly what to do, he let his arms come up to wrap around her, returning the hug, and he smiled when he felt her sigh contentedly.

 

"Thanks Pengy." She said and he frowned in confusion.

 

"For what? I haven't really done anything to be thanked for..." She looked up at him with shrewd eyes.

 

"For being my friend. No one's ever...ye know...I didn't really have anyone. Sure, you were a bit of a douc..." He raised an eyebrow and she quickly changed words. "A rude man when we first met but you still took me in and treated me like family. So thanks." Oswald pulled her in close again and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

 

"You're more than welcome..." His thoughts raced, didn't people give their daughters nicknames...should he...what would be appropriate..."Petal."

 

If her grin was anything to go by, she loved it.

  
  


\----------

  
  


Edward was surprised when Fish readily introduced him to each member of the Family in turn - normally people were not interested in showing him off, more desperate to be rid of him - starting with Victor Fries, who had to be pried away from Edward when they started to get into a discussion about the nature of his work and the workings of his suit. It was all very fascinating to Edward, and Victor was just happy to have someone who understood him enough to hold a conversation. Fish could see the beginnings of a beautiful friendship, but right now they had bigger plans. Bridget lingered awkwardly at the back of the group, clearly wary of the newcomer, but Selina gave him an actual smile and took his hand, speaking before Fish had a chance to make an introduction.

 

"Forensics guy." She said with a grin which Edward echoed.

 

"Street Trash Girl." He replied, taking back his hand as Bridget stiffened behind Selina.

 

"Hey! You wanna say that again you big..." She started to shout but Selina silenced her with a smile and a punch on the arm.

 

"Relax, Bridge, it's an  _ inside _ joke, right Riddle Man?" Selina said, her touch lingering just a little longer than was necessary on the young girl's arm.

 

"Riddl-er." Ed corrected, ignoring the cat's groan of dismay. "And yes, one 'dragged up from the  _ basement _ ' you might say." His eyes darted to Bridget then back to Cat, a twinkle passing between them. "I see you found what you were looking for...Despite my protestations." Cat squared her jaw and nodded to a spot somewhere behind Edward.

 

"So did you." Ed turned to see where she was looking and was delighted to find Oswald making his way down the stairs once again, Ivy by his side, both looking resplendent in proper attire. From here Ed could make out that Oswald had painted his nails, applied his eyeliner, a little touch of gloss on his lips making them plush and kissable...the overall effect combined with his perfectly tailored suit, material hugging his frame deliciously, had Edward's mouth hanging open. "You're catching flies there, Eddie." Selina's voice called from behind him, and he had just enough presence of mind left to answer her back.

 

"Don't call me Eddie..." He retorted, but his voice was so hushed he couldn't be sure she had actually heard him. His eyes tracked Oswald as the shorter man crossed the room, making his way directly to Edward and stopping a few feet from him, eyes filled with their familiar confidence that Ed had fallen in love with all those months ago. Oswald seemed to shiver under Ed's intense gaze and it was hard to tell whether or not the pink tinge to his cheeks was rouge or heat.

 

"Edward, you're staring, what?" Oswald asked and Ed finally pulled himself together, smirking at the man before him.

 

"How could I not, you are a vision Mr. Penguin. As always." Ed reached out and took Oswald's hand, lifting it and pressing a kiss on the knuckles. Ivy and Bridget fell together with dramatic sighs, giggling when Oswald levelled them with a glare, and Selina hunched over, mock gagging at the pair of them. Fish stepped in finally to take the reigns.

 

"If you two are done with all the sweet talk, maybe we can get this meeting underway?" She clapped her hands, shooing them all into the dining room. The table was plenty spacious enough for everyone, and all three girls took their seats along one side, Selina in the middle seat between Bridget and Ivy. Ed thought their choice of order was very apt, but he wasn't about to open his mouth just yet - better to let them figure it out on their own. He caught Oswald's eye and knew they were sharing the same thought, and he made a mental note to ask Oswald if Ivy had mentioned anything while they were upstairs together, but that was for later. On the other side of the table, Ed and Victor took their places, Victor on the end and Ed by his side, leaving only the head chair and the one on its right left empty.

 

A tense sensation suddenly ran through the group as Oswald and Fish made their way up towards the empty seats, and for just a moment it looked as though Fish was going to take the head spot. She smiled as she reached the chair, with Oswald just behind her, face darkening, but she took the back of the chair in her hands and pulled it out away from the table. Oswald looked at her for a moment, expression unbelieving, as she gestured for him to take his place. Finally, when it was clear he was not going to make the first move, she huffed and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him forward.

 

"Boy, it's a chair not a shark tank! Sit your ass down!" She snapped, but her eyes stared down at him fondly as the others at the table stifled their laughter. "You think you're ready for this, my little Penguin?" She asked, fingers trailing down his face, her expression turning playful. "Cause if not, momma is more than willing to..." She didn't get any further than that, Oswald's hands shot out to grab the arms of the chair, head tilting back so he could growl up at her.

 

"Absolutely not, my chair! Mine!" Oswald snapped and she backed off, hands raised in surrender. Ed cackled madly, eyes glinting.

 

"Careful Fish, his possessive side is quite a sight to behold." Ed joked and she turned to him, shaking her head.

 

"Trust me, big guy, I know all about it. You forgetting I taught the boy all he knows? Where'd you think he got it from?" She made her way around Oswald's chair and stopped just beside Edward. "Speaking of...I think another little change of seating is in order. Up." She ordered, ushering Ed out of his seat and tilting her head towards the empty one on Oswald's right hand side. "Time to take your place Mr. Nygma."

 

Ed was speechless, but unlike Oswald he followed her orders immediately, backing into the chair and sitting down with a stunned expression on his face.

 

"Miss Mooney...this is an honor, certainly but I don't understand. Why would you..." He stuttered, almost jumping out of his skin when he felt Oswald's hand grip his own. She kept his gaze as she took her own place, between him and Victor on her other side.

 

"I don't need some seat to know I'm powerful, son, and Oswald isn't gonna treat me less because of it, are you boy?" Her eyes flicked to him and they shared a strange look, somewhere between fear and pride.

 

"Never. I'd be a fool to slight you...mama..." Oswald said, ignoring the stunned looks of those around him. Very few people in Gotham, none of them in this room, knew that Oswald had sometimes called Fish 'mama'. At first it had been only when they were alone, on the few occasions when she had been tender with him, and it had always made him feel guilty to call her that when his own mother was waiting for him at home but with her...it was different. His  _ mutter _ waited at home, and with her he was just Oswald, her  _ liebling _ , her special boy who could do no harm. A good son. But with Fish...he was her little Penguin. She taught him, trained him, toughened him, and no matter how rough things got she was always there for him. Even at her cruelest points - his leg throbbed painfully under the table - she had always thought only of what was needed. Oswald may not have been able to forgive her for everything, but he also owed her his life. She would always be mama in this world, the world his own mother could never know about...his second life.

 

All of this passed between them in only a few seconds, the understanding palpable, then it was gone, her gaze flicking back to Edward.

 

"See? He understands better than you right now, but you'll learn quickly, I have no doubt. In here, it makes no difference...but out there..." She pointed to the door, long fingers seeming sharp in the light. "With all those fools who think they know something, it matters to them. If we are gonna do this, they have to see a united front, one that can't be broken. Say I took the seat on his right and you sat here...you're a smart kid, tell me what that says to an outsider looking in?" Ed thought about it for a moment, listening to his interior voice muttering in his ear.

 

"They'd think that Oswald being at the head was nothing but a ploy, that you were really in charge and he was just a puppet. You are older, with far more experience, and he used to....belong to you. They'd question him, undermine him, and try to deal with you either in front of him or behind his back. They would never respect him with you at his side..." Ed replied, feeling giddy when she smiled at him and nodded.

 

"Very good, Eddie." She said, and Oswald couldn't help but snort when Edward beamed at the praise. It was clear that Fish already had Ed all figured out, even after such a short time. If you wanted to get Ed's loyalty, praise him and pander to him. He had such a big ego. But the smile was all but wiped from Oswald's face when Fish started talking again. "Now, for the hard stuff...what are they gonna say 'bout  _ you _ after they find out about this little thing you boys have going on?"

 

"They'll say nothing if they wish to keep their tongues!" Oswald snapped, eyes burning furiously, and everyone but Fish recoiled slightly at his sudden outburst. Even Ed, who had been all but bouncing in his seat a moment ago, flinched back and lowered his eyes, but Oswald wasn't sure if it was his own anger or Fish's question which had caused him to deflate.

 

"Do that, boy, and you are just proving that what they say matters! Punish them, yes, kill them, yes, but THINK FIRST! Your actions are your biggest tell, don't give yourself away because of anger!" Fish snapped back, eyes narrowed, but Edward's voice cut through their silent battle like a knife.

 

"They will attempt to use our relationship against us, some by assuming that I, as his right hand, am somehow weaker than him. That I am his 'bitch'. They won't respect me. Others will take the opposite approach and assume that Oswald is mine, and therefore unfit to be their King. They will use slurs, disrespect us, and attempt to destabilize us by causing tension between us." Edward said, his voice flat and uninterested, rattling off the answer as though he were discussing the weather...and wasn't that just a perfect metaphor for the shitstorm that was coming their way. Oswald felt worried for the first time since he had escaped the Court with Ed by his side - what if this was all too much for them to bear? What if Edward cracked under the pressure and left him? Or turned on him again? What then?

 

"Perhaps we should refrain from openly announcing our relationship?" Oswald asked in a small voice that was met by an outcry from everyone seated at the table.

 

"No way!"

 

"Fuck that!"

 

"Boss..." Victor piped up for the first time since they had taken their seats and all eyes focused on him. It wasn't like him to interrupt, preferring to keep to the background for the most part, but Oswald had learned that when the man had something to say, it was best to listen. He really was very deep when you got past his frozen exterior. "Gotham has no secrets forever, they find out eventually about you and Riddles. Is it not better to step out proud than be dragged out shrinking...You show them no fear, and then, when time is right...You make them fear  _ you _ ." A contemplative silence followed his words and Edward smiled again, peering around Fish at the ice man.

 

"Well said, Victor. You are, of course, correct." He turned to Oswald again and reached out to take his hand. "I will not allow anyone to say that I was ashamed of you, I am not. They will try anything to tear us apart...Let them...They'll live to regret it, I promise you. And if any of them should try to hurt you? I'll make you a gift of them, just like I did with Mr. Leonard." Ed grinned and chuckled when Oswald began to laugh, throwing his head in mirth. The pair were still laughing when they leaned in to share a chaste kiss which was met with groans and whistles from their audience. Finally, they pulled apart, and Oswald faced Fish.

 

"We're ready for them." He stated, voice steady and gaze firm, and she smiled as she nodded at the pair of them.

 

"Yeah...you are."

  
  


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The meeting progressed into more familiar territory after the initial talk, with Edward taking centre stage to explain what he knew of the lay of the land. Barbera and Tabitha, along with Butch, were the reason he ended up tangled up with the Court in the first place, and Fish was very interested in hearing all about that, but curiously it was Barbara that she was the most interested in for the moment. Ed detailed all he knew of her plans, her lust for power, and her insistence that she would be the Queen of Gotham.

 

"With Oswald dead, and the gangs scattered and fighting amongst themselves, she wants to seize control. When she heard about this 'Court' she was determined to find them and deal with them. If there was someone out there with more power than her then she wouldn't truly be Queen...I just can't wait to see her face when she realizes you are still alive." Ed looked towards Oswald and cackled mischievously, but Oswald barely heard him. He was reclined back in his chair with his eyes closed, allowing his plans to simmer gently under the surface. Since he and Edward had already discussed all of this the previous night, he had no reason to listen too closely as it was rehashed for the benefit of the others, but he could let Edward's soothing voice wash over him as he plotted.

 

"I always knew that chick was nutty, but damn...Like, seriously, know when to quit!" Selina huffed, shaking her head disbelievingly.

 

"The question is...what are we gonna do about her..." Fish replied, all heads turning to Penguin. Feeling the eyes on him he opened his own and stared back, gaze hard and unrelenting.

 

"Kill her?" Ivy asked, smiling when Penguin met her gaze fondly.

 

"Oh we could certainly kill her but, I think I have a better idea. What we really need right now is to set an example...And I think I know just what that should be. But first, we need to work out how to get the three of them together on our turf, we dare not try to take them when they are surrounded by their own. Too risky. Ed? Any ideas?"

 

"Several workable ideas, but not a one of them that you are going to like..." Ed said, fidgeting with his glasses nervously. Oswald pursed his lips and looked confused.

 

"I don't understand, why wouldn't I..."

 

"Because they involve him going back there as a rat, isn't that right Edward?" Fish said, sharing a quick knowing glance with Ed as Oswald sat there with his mouth hung open.

 

"No!" Oswald snapped, eyes fixed on his nervous looking partner.

 

"Oswa..."

 

"No, Ed, I absolutely forbid it! You are not going back to that woman, do you hear me!"

 

"Penguin we ain't even heard his plan yet, it might be good..." Selina butted in, eyes too understanding for Oswald's liking.

 

"Yeah, like, shouldn't we use every advantage we got...Beanpole playing double and getting us an in might be a good idea." Ivy piped in, and Oswald wished he could tell her to shut her mouth but for a moment his pride overcame his anger. Edward saw the chink in his armour and went in for the kill.

 

"Oswald, I have personal reasons for wanting to do this..." He let his hand cover Oswald's, fingers tracing gentle over the knuckles as he talked. "I know how much I hurt you with what I did, and if you know me at all you'll know tha..."

 

"That you won't forgive yourself until you feel like you have earned it." Oswald sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "That's all well and good, Ed, but must it be like this? I don't want you to put yourself in danger for the sake of my forgiveness!" Ed held his gaze, eyes firm and unblinking.

 

"We have willingly thrown ourselves into leading dangerous lives, Oswald, there is little we can do to avoid that now! This could be the best chance we have of taking down Barbera and her cronies once and for all! If I could give you that...if I could give you your club back..." Ed trailed off, his voice barely above a whisper by the end, and Oswald finally dropped his gaze, conceding without words to Ed's plan.

 

"Very well." Oswald said finally, pulling himself together but refusing to let go of Edward's hand. "What's the plan?"

  
  


\----------

  
  


"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, NYGMA?!" Barbara screamed at him the moment he walked through the door, lifting her empty wine glass and hurtling it at his head. Ed thanked a god he didn't believe in that she had been drinking and her aim was off, otherwise he'd have had a nasty cut on his face to explain to Oswald, and she would be picking her teeth off the floor by the time he was done with her.

 

"Arranging a meeting with The Court Of Owls." Ed said, his words breaking through her anger easily and leaving her slightly off balance. "They want to meet with you to discuss...a promotion, so to speak." Barbera's greedy eyes widened and a smirk grew on her face, while inside Edward tried contain his eye roll - he really had been spending too much time with Oswald if he was starting to adopt his mannerisms. Well, there were worse things. Barbera's shrill voice being one of them.

 

"Riddle-Man, I could kiss you!" She hissed, approaching him in an almost predatory manner which made Ed's stomach clench.

 

"I would prefer you didn't." Edward said, sidestepping her easily and falling into step with her as they made their way through the bar, searching for Butch and Tabitha. It didn't escape his notice that her eyes narrowed from his words, and although he knew she felt no real attraction to him, the implication that he was not attracted to  _ her _ had stung.

 

"What, am I not good enough for you Nygma? What the hell you looking for that I ain't got?" She snapped, not looking at him directly but nonetheless he could feel the heat from her gaze.

 

_ "Let’s start with a Penis, move on to Charisma, and end with Dignity, you whore." _ Other Ed hissed in his ear, and Edward had to bite his lip to keep the words from flying out of his mouth.

 

"I simply don't wish to end up on the business end of Tabitha's whip, thank you very much." That seemed to mollify her for the moment, and thankfully they found Butch and Tabitha sitting at the far end of the bar, having a franticly whispered conversation. Ed's curiosity piqued as he caught their eye and saw a flash of fear run through them both, even if Barbera was completely oblivious to it.

 

_ "Ohhh now just what was that all about? Do I sense disention in the ranks?" _ Other Ed giggled, and for just a moment Edward snapped.

 

"Quiet you!" He growled to his left hand side, drawing disgusted looks from all three of his companions.

 

"I've said it before, Nygma, you're a fuckin' crackpot! Who the hell you talking to this time?" Butch barked, his voice like a knife on Edward's nerves.

 

"Myself, and can you blame me? It's certainly preferable to having a conversation with  _ you _ ." Edward snapped back, never flinching even when Butch stormed forward, putting them toe to toe, face only inches from Ed's own. Under his skin he felt The Riddle stirring, and he longed to pull the knife from his pocket and teach this gorrilla some manners, but from somewhere behind the Riddler’s voice another softer tone broke through.

 

_ "Timing is everything, old friend, and your time will come. Patience." _ Ed fought to keep his face straight, but he could easily see from somewhere beside him the blurred outline of Oswald. Since the others had resumed their conversation and hadn't all drawn guns, firing wildly, Edward knew without a doubt that this was just another hallucination, an inner voice made solid, but nevertheless it scared him witless. He really was losing his mind.

 

_ "It could have been worse...You could have killed me and then found out that there was no real way to get rid of me. At least this way I am here to guide and not to torment...well...not to torment much!" _ Fake Oswald giggled in his ear and Edward groaned, ignoring the looks from the others as he shook his head to clear it. He could just imagine how annoying it would have been to off Oswald and have him wind up as some kind of Marley's Ghost figure, haunting and taunting him with his failures. Bullet, most certainly, dodged. When he finally came back to himself, all his luggage stowed for the moment, he caught a snatch of the conversation between his companions.

 

"Look, I don't trust the guy, kay? Leave out the fact he's a fuckin' freak with some serious mental problems, how do you know he ain't planning on double crossin' us the way he did with Penguin? You ever think 'bout that?" Butch asked, working himself into a tizzy when Barbera glared at him and waved her hand in a dismissing manner. He turned to Tabitha for support but the girl was clearly staying well out of it. Edward was impressed she had enough brains to keep her mouth shut, and when Butch gave her an imploring look she just shrugged at looked away.

 

"Listen here, I think I would know if he was gonna turn on me anytime soon, and he isn't. He wants answers as bad as I want power, and we are going to get them together! This is my chance to claim the  _ real _ crown of Gotham, and I am going to do it with or without you! You want to be left behind, fine! Tabs, Edward and I can find someone else to serve us. It's your choice!" She spun on her heels and stormed away, yelling for them to 'Come!' and as much as it grated on him to obey her, the soothing voice of his little bird came to him, reminding him that in a few short hours this bitch would be getting what was coming to her. With that thought in mind, he gave Butch one last withering look and turned to follow Barbera and Tabitha out of the door into the cool streets of Gotham.

  
  


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Everything was planned perfectly, in Fish opinion, but she couldn't help but notice her little Penguin was nervous. That much was understandable, his boy was going to be slap bang in the middle of this double cross and it had to be playing havoc with his heart. Fish didn't know  _ much _ about love, but she knew enough to see it written plainly on Oswald's face. She wanted to reach out and smack some sense into him, but she settled for placing a hand on his shoulder and gripping it tightly. He seemed to flinch away from her slightly, a nervous reaction no doubt ingrained into him by their history, but it was a fleeting moment and then he was smiling at her. Good. He needed to be strong right now.

 

They had planned to have Ed lure Barbera, Tabitha and Butch to Gotham docks, under the guise of them meeting with members of the Court Of Owls, and once they had arrived Oswald and Fish would make their entrance. After the initial shock had worn off, the rest of the family would show up and they would take down Tabitha and Butch, leaving Barbera to Oswald's discretion. Penguin had only discussed his plan with Freeze and Firefly - what was it with these kids and their weird ass names? - but everyone trusted that whatever he was planning to do, it would be quite the show.

 

Oswald had called in a favour from one of his many  _ old friends _ and gotten them a limo for the occasion - it wouldn't do for them to make their grand re-entrance into the Gotham underworld in anything less than pure style - and although Fish could do without the dramatics, she had to admit the fully stocked bar was a nice touch. Freeze and Firefly were sitting up front, Freeze in the drivers seat, Cat and Ivy tucked away in the back with Fish and Penguin. It was quite the odd little band they made, but Fish had high hopes for every one of them. After tonight, they would rule Gotham.

 

The car was parked not far from the dockside warehouse where the gang were all meeting, and finally Oswald stiffened as a car pulled up outside the doors. The unmistakable hulking figure of Butch got out, rushing to pull the doors open to admit the car and its occupants. As the car disappeared inside, Penguin let out a breath and closed his eyes. For a moment, all the muscles in his body seemed to tense, and when he finally opened his eyes again they held no trace of the warmth that was Oswald. Each member of the family looked to him, waiting on his word, and when he nodded, Freeze kicked the engine into life and pulled off, heading for the warehouse and whatever awaited them there.

 

Penguin was ready.

  
  


\----------

  
  


"...YOU?!" Barbera screeched when Oswald walked in, looking every bit the dapper crime lord as always, so much so that Ed had to restrain himself from running into his arms and ravaging his mouth. Oswald wore a look of smug satisfaction, leaning on his cane as he posed for them.

 

"Me. We really must stop meeting this way, people are bound to talk." Fish sauntered up behind him and stood by his side, arms crossed over her chest as she surveyed the group before her. As her eyes passed over Edward, the taller man saw just a hint of humour in the depths, but then it was over and she settled finally on Butch. Ed followed her gaze and was stunned to see the hulking man was in a state of complete shock. Oswald wasn't so surprised that Butch was dumbstruck, it had to hurt after all that for her glorious return to Gotham, she had come for Penguin but not for him. Barbera snarled and backed away several paces, putting herself just behind Butch and Tabitha. Bad move; Fish smelt weakness like a shark smells blood, and she allowed her gaze to fall on the self called Queen.

 

"This the one that took our little club, Penguin?" She asked and Oswald nodded, lips a hardline, eyes dark.

 

"Oh yes, she quite fancied herself on the throne, the club was needed to maintain the image. You should see what she's done with the place, gaudy, no class..."

 

"You little BASTARD! How the hell did you come back?!" Barbara yelled, whipping around to advance on Edward. Oswald barely stopped himself from pulling his gun and shooting the bitch right then, but he pulled himself back. He couldn't be Oswald right now, he needed to detach. Ed, to his credit, was still staring at Oswald, blatant horror written all over his face as though he were seeing him alive for the first time. "NYGMA! I thought you were the smart one! How the hell did you fuck up one measly little murder?!" Edward finally tore his eyes from Oswald and looked down at her, stunned to find a very angry woman with her finger prodded against his chest.

 

"I do not know, but trust me I plan to rectify that as soon as the chance presents itself." He growled, eyes flicking back to Oswald who sneered right back at him, and somewhere in his head The Riddler offered his own opinion.

 

_ "I'm starting to think there might be something to this whole 'hate sex' thing...think after this he'll let you drag him to the car and fuck him in the backseat?" _ Ed shook himself to ward off the voice - he really didn't need those kind of thoughts right now. They were meant to be fighting!

 

"Edward...How nice to see you again  _ old friend _ !" Oswald growled, fingers tightening on his cane as though he itched to use it on the taller man. "Have you noticed we always seem to end up back here? It must be fate."

 

_ "Do you believe in fate..." _ Ed hid a smile. Of course Oswald would want to have a little private joke between them. He was so thoughtful that way.

 

"Yes, you do have an annoying habit of scurrying your way out of situations...more cockroach than Penguin. But don't worry, I can soon change that..." Edward was fast, in a heartbeat he had drawn his gun and pointed it at Oswald's chest. Fish pulled her own, but Tabitha was quicker off the mark, lashing her whip through the air and sending Fish's gun flying in the other direction. Barbera cackled wildly, her eyes shining as she watched the situation turn in her favour. Fish was weaponless, and Ed had taken the confusion to rush at Oswald, barrelling into his smaller frame and knocking him onto the floor. The pair grappled for control, but Ed knew Oswald wasn't really trying; had he been fighting for his life, Ed wasn't sure if his success could be guaranteed. Oswald was feisty when his back was against the wall. It was all over in a matter of minutes, Ed yanking Oswald to his feet by the hair and wrapping an arm around his middle, his back pressed against Edward’s chest. They faced the room of stunned gangsters, Ed's high pitched cackle sending chills up Oswald's spine. Ed's gun was long gone, lost in the scrap, but he had pulled his knife from its sheath and was pressing the deadly sharp tip up under Oswald's chin. It had worked perfectly.

 

A slow clapping filled the air as Barbera walked forward, grinning like the mad woman she was inside.

 

"Nicely done, Eddie! Now..." Her face darkened. "Kill him."

 

"Or, we could just kill you..." Barbera whipped around, eyes growing wide as several people walked out of the narrow walkways between the crates, weapons drawn and pointed right at her little group. She recognised a few faces, and she snarled when the little Cat dropped from the catwalk above, nimble as ever. Oswald had clearly been busy. One of the young girls stepped forward - she was very pretty with red hair and a stunning green dress, and with the way the others stepped aside to allow her to pass, she was obviously leading in Penguins stead. "Drop the knife, Beanpole." Barbera turned to glare at Edward who, for some reason known only to himself, was still grinning like a lunatic.

 

"And why would I do that..." Ed asked, slipping the tip of the knife across the bare skin of Oswald's neck and drawing a shuddering breath from his captive. "When he likes it so much?" He leant in and nuzzled under Penguin's ear, nipping gently at the skin before latching on to suck a deep red mark. Penguin squeaked and squirmed in his grip, giggling when Ed spun him around and wrapped his arms around him. Barbera was stunned into silence when Penguin whined Ed's name and swatted at his arm playfully.

 

"Ed, you stop that! It tickles when you do that!" The pair settled into each other as the others groaned in displeasure, already growing tired of their public displays. The young girl sighed in a put upon way and raised her gun, this time pointing straight at Barbera.

 

"Penguin, put the nerd down and come do boss things. We ain't here to watch you two suck face!" Cat snapped, knocking the trio out of their shocked silence and it was Butch who spoke first.

 

"I damn well told you we couldn't trust that rat!" Butch yelled, gesturing to Edward and his shit eating grin as he let Oswald go reluctantly.

 

"Oh what, you want a medal?! Like YAY, the dog got one right! How about you do something useful for a change and kill him!" Barbera screeched, pointing one perfectly manicured finger at Penguin who looked completely unaffected by the threat. She looked completely unhinged, and even her two remaining lackeys were backing away from her as she spun around, frantically searching for some way out of this mess.

 

"Oh I wouldn't make a move if I were you, Butch. See, my friends there..." He gestured to Freeze and Firefly. "Are just itching to settle a bet on which is best, Ice or Fire, and you wouldn't want to be caught in the fray now would you? I promised Fish she could deal with you personally, and I really would hate to go back on my word so early into our new partnership." Oswald kept his eyes locked with Butch's until the bigger man sighed and looked away, admitting defeat, and then turned his attention on Tabitha. "As for you, I still owe you for what you did to my Mother...Ivy my Petal, be a dear and fetch me my bat?" He asked and she nodded, a twinkle in her eye which gave everyone the chills. Fish could see that one turning out as vicious as her new Papa, the same way Oswald had turned out as vicious as she herself. It was nice to see the torch being passed.

 

"You think we are just going to stand here and watch you kill her, Penguin?!" Barbera shrieked, raising her gun again but Freeze and Firefly were quicker. Victor, who was standing not far behind her, shared a quick glance with his counterpart and smirked, aiming for the floor just shy of her heels, while Bridget slinked to the front and fired just shy of her face. The combined shocks made Barbera scream and stumble backwards, ridiculous heels skidding on the ice patch which was spreading across the floor and toppling her backwards onto her ass. Edward cackled madly, pleased to see that when the two opposing forces were not bickering they could make quite the comic team. Tabs meanwhile had taken advantage of the confusion and drew back her whip, lashing it through the air, but Firefly caught the movement and leapt out of the way just in time, her toughened suit taking the worst of the lash. She righted herself and took aim, firing once more before Tabitha could get another hit in, and the flames took out her whip in one easy flash. Alone now and without a weapon, she made a break for the door, but Fish raised her gun and fired, bullet taking her out at the ankle. She screamed as she went down, but finally she was still, and Fish kept her gun trained on her just in case she got any more ideas about escaping.

 

"Yes, that is exactly what I think." Penguin answered, expression never faltering even throughout the chaos. "You see, I never got the pleasure of finishing the game I started with her brother...Jim Gordon saw to that..." Ivy appeared at his side and he smiled, taking the bat from her hands and leaning in to peck her on the cheek. "Thank you. Now..." He turned back and started walking towards Tabitha. The women saw him coming and tried to get to her feet again, but another bullet ricocheted off the floor just shy of her knees and she screamed, attempting to drag herself along the floor to stay out of the range. She'd never been afraid before, not really, but as she stared about the warehouse, eyes darting from Barbera, to Butch, to Penguin as he stepped in front of her and blocked her path, she felt true terror. She didn't want to die like this!

 

"This won't be quick...unlike your brother, Gordon isn't here to save you. I'm going to beat you to death for what you did to my mother...and I'm going to make them" Penguin gestured to Barbera and Butch who looked enraged and horrified respectively. "Watch every moment of it!" He glared down at her and raised the bat above his head, ignoring her screams and her plea's, all that mattered now was the sick rush as the blood began to flow, the wet whacking noise as the bat struck flesh over and over, and the mad laughter that rung in his head.

  
  


\----------

  
  


By the time it was all over Penguin was covered in blood, splatter pattern all up the front of his suit, hands and arms soaked, and his face a horror show, but he was grinning madly with the rush of it all. It took less time than he thought for her to stop screaming - possibly when it become too painful to breathe with shattered ribs - but she still twitched and groaned with each impact. Finally, just before his strength had left him, her breath left her in one long shuddering note and her eyes grew dark, the empty and cold look of the newly dead, and he dropped the bat to the floor beside her.

 

Through all of it, Barbera had screamed and wailed, threatening and begging all in one breath for her lover's life, but the noise had failed to reach the Penguin and eventually she had fallen into silence. Butch was another matter, for unlike Barbera the man was capable of truly loving someone, and he sobbed brokenly the entire time as he watched his former boss murdering the woman he had loved so desperately. Both Barbara and Butch had needed to be restrained, Freeze and Edward taking care of the big man while the girls kept a grip on Barbera. Edward personally found it utterly thrilling to watch his lover work, and he hoped that perhaps he could convince Oswald to make this a regular thing, but for now he kept silent. The best was yet to come after all.

 

Penguin took a moment to straighten his clothes, running a hand through his hair to fix the strands which had come loose while he was swinging, and when he deemed himself presentable - or as presentable as he was going to get given the circumstances - he turned to face the remaining two captives.

 

"I understand this is painful for you, but business is business and I could not let her get away with what she had done. In the past I had allowed her to slip away due to circumstance and bigger fish but..." He gave a small shrug and kicked the dead body out of his way as he made his way forward. "She was only ever living on borrowed time. I knew I would kill her eventually. Now all that remains is to deal with you." His gaze landed on Barbera and he smiled, head cocked to the side in contemplation. The room was silent save for her heavy breathing and Butch's broken sobs. "I have decided not to kill you."

 

Barbera seemed to deflate all of a sudden, the fight draining out of her, and the girls around her released their grip so she could slide to the floor at his feet. She still looked enraged, ready to spit venom, but she kept her voice decidedly cool as she addressed him.

 

"I don't know how to thank you _ Mr. Penguin _ ...if there is some way I can repa..."

 

"No, killing you wouldn't be enough." He interrupted, talking as though he had not heard her, and it was a delight to see the colour leached from her face once again. "I had to think... _ colder _ ." His eyes flicked to the right and the girls backed away quickly as Freeze stepped up beside Penguin, his special gun pointed right at Barbera's stunned face. "You see if I were to merely kill you, people would get in line...for awhile...but eventually your death would fade into nothingness. They would forget its meaning, that I was in charge, and they would begin to step out of line. To push boundaries. I can't have that...so, instead of killing you I have decided that a better method of securing the people's fear is to keep you around as a constant reminder of what happens to those who cross me." He nodded to Freeze and stepped back, allowing his underling to take centre stage while he moved into line beside Ed. The taller man was grinning wildly, and he reached out to grasp Oswald's hand as Freeze's gun fired up. Barbara's eyes darted around the room and fell on Butch who was huddled over on the floor by Tabitha's corpse, giant frame shaking from the force of his sobs. No help there. She looked back at Penguin, giving the men one final mocking sneer before Freeze fired, engulfing her kneeling form in a block of solid ice.

 

It took less than thirty seconds to reduce her to a statue, and when it was all over, a silence fell over the room, broken only by the quiet sobbing of Butch.

  
  


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Penguin allowed them to take in the scene for only a few moments before he dismissed them to the car, all but Edward and Fish who stayed beside him. He watched his little family as they left, feeling surprisingly lighthearted considering the situation. He could not recall a time where a post successful revenge plot had included going home to a proper family, maybe cooking dinner and choosing a movie, but now...he had good people around him. Perhaps he should buy Ivy something special, a new dress or some jewellery, after all if she hadn't taken a shine to him he would never have gotten Fish back...The monsters would still be against him...He and Ed would not be where they are now...She had been the catalyst, and he owed her more than he could ever hope to pay, but somehow he didn't think she even knew or cared. She had her family now, and he was a part of that. She was a good kid. He would think on it more after tonight was finally over...but first...

 

"I know you have history here..." Oswald said, trying to keep his voice calm but the stress of the night was starting to wind him down. "Therefore I felt it was only right that you should have the final say in what is to be done here. You and I are partners now...equals, in every sense of the word...Whatever you choose to do, I will accept and support." He finished with a sideways look at Fish, but her eyes were trained on Butch, who sat on the floor a few feet away, looking more defeated than Oswald had ever seen him. If it wasn't for the constant betrayal and the fact that he had once tried to kill Ed, Oswald might have felt sorry for him. Fish nodded in acknowledgement, but said nothing, and Oswald sighed, squeezing Ed's hand and pulling him along. As they walked by, Fish reached out and took Oswald by the crook of his elbow, stopping him before he could leave.

 

"...Thank you, Oswald." She said, voice almost too quiet to be heard, but he caught every word and gasped softly. Those were not cheap words with her, and almost as rare as the use of his given name. He could count on one hand the number of times she had called him Oswald, normally preferring to call him Boy or Penguin - or any other number of degrading slurs. The years had been hard to them, but now there was proper respect, and he had to fight the tears which were threatening to fall as he grasped her back, smiling again for the first time.

 

"No need to thank me, this is what we do for our family." He looked back at Butch and sighed before turning around again, giving her one last nod before steering Edward out the door. "We'll be waiting in the car. No rush."

  
  


\----------

  
  


Fish watched him go, pride flaring in her chest at the sight of him - she still couldn't believe her little Penguin had come so far in this world, and it made her smile. Unfortunately the happiness was brief, and another choked sob brought her back to reality. Butch. She had to deal with Butch.

 

She stepped up to him, staring down with some disgust as he clutched at the mangled body of his girlfriend, and she waited for him to speak. She knew he would.

 

"Why don't you just kill me...Get it over with...Or are you gonna draw it out like that sadistic little bastard you made!" Butch snapped, and she drew up in anger, raising her hand to him and cracking it across his cheek.

 

"You don't get to talk about my little Penguin that way. At least he's made something of himself! But you..." She gestured to him, disgusted. "You just the same old Butch who could never make it past hired goon."

 

"Like I ever had a chance with him always up your ass! You gave him more than you ever gave me!" Butch yelled, finally getting to his feet and staring her down. "Oh sure, you beat on him and humiliated him, and everyone around you thought he was worthless to you but NOT ME! I know you! Everything you did, you did to make him stronger! You did all of it cause you saw he could be more...but with me...you took what you wanted and then tossed me aside! Why?! What did he have that I didn't?! I never betrayed you! I was loyal! I loved you!"

 

"And that was your problem! See Butch you got so hung up on pleasing me that you never once tried to be more than you are...You never stood up! Penguin...He was a sneaky, cunning, backstabbing little rat...And that’s what gets you places. He had it, I just pruned it a little. Polished it up, and now he's shining. And you..." She made a tsk noise as she looked him up and down, shaking her head. "Tell me something Butch, if you really thought you were better than he was, then why you so hung up on me not giving you extra time? Obviously you don't think you needed it...You wanna know what I think? I think you are just so damn ashamed of your own fuck ups that you looking for someone else to blame, but really...you got no one to blame but yourself." Fish watched as he broke down again, her words cutting him deep, and what little pity she had felt drained out of her at the sight. He let the world beat him down, and now he was nothing.

 

"Just kill me." Butch sobbed, falling to his knees in front of her, and she shook her head.

 

"I'm not gonna kill you, you ain't worth it." She reached down and clasped him by the chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. "But I will tell you what to do...Get out of here, go find somewhere to be, I don't care if it’s in Gotham or Oz, go somewhere and do something...but don't you ever show your face to me or mine again. You understand me?" She gave him a moment to process before pushing him back down and turning away, and she was heavily disappointed when he didn't try to attack her. Same old Butch, no real urge to be more. Once she reached the door she turned to look back at him, and with a shake of her head she left, allowing the door to slam behind her.

 

The sun was rising over the docks when she reached the car, and she was surprised to see Oswald sitting on the hood, smoking a cigarette of all things, and a quick peek in the back seat showed her three sleeping girls and one barely awake Edward Nygma. She smiled and walked around to take a seat beside her adopted son.

 

"You gonna share or what?" She asked and Oswald grinned, pulling out a rather battered pack. She took one and he lit it for her off his own, a little clumsy from shaking hands. The air was ice cold at this time of the day.

 

"Edward told me if I lit up in the car he would make me sleep on the sofa." Oswald explained and Fish grinned, choking on the smoke as she laughed.

 

"Anti-smoker, huh? Just your luck." She joked and Oswald took his final draw, pinching the butt between his fingers and flicking it swiftly away.

 

"No, just Anti-Smoke-Around-The-Girls-It's-Bad-For-Them-You-Insensitive-Asshole!" Oswald quoted, rolling his eyes and smiling when she laughed harder.

 

"Well, he does have a point." Oswald made a shushing gesture, eyes darting to the open window of the car.

 

"Dear God, don't let him hear you, it'll only encourage him!"

 

"Too late!" A voice called from inside, sounding sleepy and gruff, and Oswald grimaced, giving Fish a glare with no real heat behind it. The pair sat for awhile staring out over the water as the sun rose of the city of Gotham. Their city now. It was madness to think that not so long ago, they had been at odds and now they would rule together, with their family by their side. Soon, the whole of Gotham would hear about what they had done tonight, would see what happens to those who threaten Fish Mooney and The Penguin, and once they were established, all of the city would tremble at their feet. Oswald smirked at the thought.

 

It was a new day in Gotham.


End file.
